FNPP Forest Theme Country: Honduras

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1 FNPP Forest Theme Country: Honduras (Version dated ) Background The Government of Honduras, with the technical assistance of the international community, has made remarkable progress in various decentralization processes of its administration, and started delegating more and more authority and responsibility to the municipalities in managing their natural resources and various land use options. Over the last five years, the government has undertaken a long participatory process for the development and drafting of a new forest law and the related forest subsidiary legislation. Considering the positive outcome of the latest debates and the consensus reached on major point of conflict, it is expected that the new forest law will be approved by the National Congress by the end of 2004 at the latest. FAO has supported this process since its inception, in close collaboration with partners from the international community, in particular the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Agenda Forestal Hondureña (AFH) was created to act as the main forum for discussion of the National Forest Plan (PLANFOR) and later for the new law text and the National Forest Programme (PRONAFOR). It was and still is very successful in involving at all stages government institutions, civil society (represented by major NGOs, indigenous peoples associations, representatives of rural communities), the private forest industry sector organizations and the academic sector. Once the law is approved, the respective regulatory framework needs to be further developed and tested. While the main elements of the forest subsidiary legislation have been developed, adjustments based on the amendments resulting from recent discussions need to be made, and the specific texts need to be drafted anew. In addition, considering that the new law includes innovative approaches to natural resources management and issues related to land user rights, as well as decentralization of responsibility to the municipalities, it is extremely important to involve key partners and stakeholders in the development of the specific forest regulations and the approach for its implementation. Forest dependent communities and other communities living in rural, degraded areas should be given an opportunity to participate in the process and be part of its implementation. Pilot projects testing draft regulations aimed at improving livelihoods of rural communities should demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the subsidiary legislation or recommend amendments for its improvement. Honduras has goodprevious experience and offers a well structured platform for the implementation of participatory processes with the involvement of rural populations at the municipality level. An example of the structures created with the assistance of previous FAO/Netherlands projects is the project on Forestry and Climate Change in Central America (PBCC), which was instrumental in positioning the national Forest Administrations in the international climate change debate, and in the creation of local capacity for the development of climate change mitigation through forestry activities. Another example is the project in support of the Agroforestry Cooperatives (ADECAF), which resulted in the strengthening of the Honduran Federation of Agroforestry Cooperatives FEHCAFOR. It also led to the establishment of non-profit enterprises for rural development in the forestry sector (EMCAH and EMFIDAC), owned by agroforestry cooperatives and communities, providing technical, commercial and financial support to cooperatives in rural areas. These cooperatives are important instruments for field testing of elements of the new regulatory framework. The

2 2 same applies to the experiences of the very successful rural development process financed by the Government of the Netherlands, better known as Lempira Sur, which included several projects connected both vertically through time and horizontally covering several topics, including local capacity building and bottom-up driven governance. Objective Forest legislative and policy frameworks contribute in a more effective way to the sustainable management of natural resources, conservation of biological diversity, and rural development. Outcomes and Indicators 1 Outcome 1: A participatory process to test, implement and regulate the new forest primary legislation has been initiated, reflecting the needs of rural communities for improved livelihoods (refers to FNPP Outcome 1 and 2) Indicators 1.1 The new forest subsidiary legislation addresses key issues for the improvement of livelihoods of forestry dependent communities, indigenous peoples or communities living in forested lands and degraded areas, based on a participatory process and taking into account the results of pilot projects testing the regulatory framework. 1.2 Civil society, in particular rural communities and indigenous people, have actively participated in the process. 1.3 Capacity for the implementation of the new regulatory framework has been developed at local and municipal levels 2 Outcome 2: The National Forest Programme (PRONAFOR) has been completed, reflecting synergies for the implementation of forest related conventions like CBD, CITES, UNFCCC etc. Those aspects of PRONAFOR related to forest resources management, conservation of biological diversity and wildlife management, production and trade of wood and non-wood forest products and fuelwood for the benefit of rural livelihoods, and the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, have been field tested in four different sites (national and municipal, conifers and broadleaves) with the involvement of major stakeholders, including representatives from rural communities (Refers to FNPP Outcome 1, 2 and 4)

3 3 Indicators: 2.1 The National Forest Programme includes elements and/or amendments based on recommendations resulting from the pilot projects as well as from the development of the new regulatory framework. 2.2 Implementation of PRONAFOR has been initiated, in particular those sections with potential to enhance livelihoods of the rural poor. 2.3 Four communities or groups of communities at municipal level have developed their capacity to implement PRONAFOR, focusing on natural resources management, production activities supporting diversification of income and access to local markets. Internal Partners National Forest Programme Facility: Honduras is a Facility Partner. Activities have been initiated in collaboration with the Forest Engineers Association, the Honduran Federation of Agroforestry Cooperatives (FEHCAFOR), the Agenda Forestal and the Honduran Network of Private Natural Reserves (REHNAP) Livelihood Support Programme (SDA, AGS, ESNP, TCA): A DFID supported programme with a cross-departmental and cross-disciplinary approach, integrating livelihoods principles into FAO s work. Activities have been initiated building upon the Lempira Sur and the Governance project ; FO (FOP, FOR, FON); LEGN (participated in the development of the primary legislation); SPFS (TCO); IDWG on climate change (involved in the forestry and climate change in Central America, financed by the previous FNPP); IDWG on biological diversity (need to strengthen links between conservation of biological diversity in areas of the Central American Biological Corridor and the communities living in and around these areas). National partners Ministry of Agriculture (SAG): responsible for forest management of public forest areas; Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (SERNA): responsible for forest conservation areas, and focal point to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Climate Change; Ministry of the Presidency; State Forest Administration (AFE); Agenda Forestal Hondureña; National Directorate on territorial issues. External Partners International donor community based in Honduras and active in the forestry sector (German Technical Cooperation, Canadian Cooperation, among others); National NGO s, associations and representatives of civil society; Selected municipalities and their association (AHMON).

4 4 Major outputs The Agenda Forestal Hondureña is strengthened in its role as the recognized official forum to discuss and complete the proposed regulatory instruments for the new forest legislation and the National Forest Programme; Inter-sectoral links between national programmes involving land use and forestry aspects at community and municipal level are evaluated (PRONAFOR, PROAGRO, PRONADERS); National legislations, including aspects related to land use rights, community rights, natural resources utilization, are analysed; Capacity building programmes to enhance the participation of communities at the municipal level in the policymaking process are developed; Capacity building programmes on the implementation of the new forest law aspects affecting rural communities are prepared; Four pilot project at municipality level testing the new forest law and forest subsidiary legislation are completed; Experiences of pilot projects are evaluated, systematized and disseminated; Guidelines for the development of small scale reforestation or afforestation projects at the municipal level under the Clean Development Mechanism are developed; Guidelines for the adaptation of forest ecosystem to climate change are tested. Main activities Organise workshops with the participation of stakeholders, including representatives of rural communities at the municipality and village administration levels (aldeas), with the objective of agreeing on the FNPP expected proposed outputs, procedures and workplan; Analyse the current situation of different elements and actors influencing the participatory negotiation process for the development of the regulatory framework, and describe the proposed role of each actor in the process: government agencies, NGO s, municipalities, cooperatives and small scale enterprises, private forest sector; Develop a technical assistance and operational support programme for the development of the regulatory framework of the new forest law, based on a participatory process; Elaborate a proposal for common understanding and interaction between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the national forest administration and municipalities in the implementation, monitoring and elaboration of necessary amendments to the legislation and completion of the National Forest Programme; Develop a set of guidelines to facilitate the participation of municipalities, NGOs, private forest sector and agro-forestry cooperatives in field testing the forest law and subsidiary legislation; Design a programme for the implementation, follow up, monitoring and systematization of four pilot projects in selected rural areas, with the objective of providing the rural poor with the opportunity to test the applicability of some aspects of the forest law and subsidiary legislation of interest to them. The projects should include forestry and agroforestry activities, such as forest management, utilization and trade of wood and non-wood forest products, reforestation and afforestation taking into consideration the complete production chain with value added opportunities. It should also include aspects of natural resources conservation, conservation of

5 5 biological diversity, wildlife and watershed management and the related social aspects in the light of gender issues; Disseminate results of positive experiences; Promote a high level dialogue for inclusion of results in forest and related sector policies and instruments; Complement studies on the manpower needs of the forestry sector and help mobilize resources for the implementation of a bottom-up process of development of human resources, at least at the levels of the pilot areas. Budget: The proposed budget includes the services of a national team composed of a coordinator and an administrator, supported by national, TCDC and international consultants and technical support from RLC and Headquarters officers. The allocation for general operating expenses includes costs for the production of publications and general office expenditure. Parent Account Description 1 st year 2 nd year 3th year Total m/p US$ m/p US$ m/p US$ m/p US$ 5012 Salaries general service 12 6, , , , Consultants International 2 28, , , ,000 National 18 50, , , , Contracts 20,000 20,000 20,000 60, Travel 20,000 20,000 20,000 60, Training 30,000 30,000 30,000 90, Non Expendable Procurement 33,000 3,000 3,000 39, General Operating Expenses 30,000 30,000 30,000 90, , , , , Support Costs (7,8%) 16,957 14,617 14,617 46,192 Total 234, , , ,392